Practitioners will soon have the option to request prescription data from other participating state prescription monitoring programs, via MAPS, to identify if patients are obtaining controlled substances in multiple states. This is particularly helpful for those practitioners who practice near bordering states. Prescription data sharing among states will assist in the early identification of prescription drug abuse and doctor shopping, provide more effective communication between states and help law enforcement with cases involving diversion of controlled substances, all on a nationwide level.
The NABP PMP InterConnect (PMPi) will facilitate the transmission of prescription data information across state lines to authorized users. The PMPi is a highly secure exchange system where access rules for each participating state have been implemented into the system to ensure each state's rules are enforced, and to ensure authorization and appropriate access to information. The PMPi will not house any data as requests and queried prescription data will remain with the requesting state.
Participating states will include Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia. States with pending systems include Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.
MAPS users will not see any major changes in using MAPS. A new option will be available on the request screen to request prescription data information from participating states. As each state has different rules for accessing prescription data, query results may differ from state to state. Results detailing the request will be listed at the end of the MAPS report.
Law enforcement and regulatory agencies, where authorized by state law, will be able to obtain information via the PMPi that will help them identify attempts to illegally divert controlled substances across state lines. Currently, law enforcement and regulatory agencies in Michigan do not have the ability to make out-of-state requests through MAPS; however it is anticipated access will be available in mid-2012.
For more information regarding the PMP InterConnect, please email MAPS staff at mapsinfo@michigan.gov or call (517) 373-1737.